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Guinea’s anti-junta coalition reported “many arrests” and injuries from live ammunition during clashes on Thursday between anti-junta protesters and security forces, according to a municipal official and the relatives of the deceased.
In protest against the military junta that had taken control of the country in 2021, demonstrators called for the restoration of civilian rule as well as the release of political prisoners and activists who had been detained.
In an effort to disperse the young protesters, police and gendarmes used tear gas as they built barricades and threw stones at them in Conakry’s suburbs. And there was gunfire.
When his 18-year-old nephew was shot in the Hamdallaye neighborhood, according to Abdoul Karim Bah, he passed away before getting to the hospital.
He claimed that the teen was killed while operating a motorcycle taxi in the neighborhood, not while participating in the protest.
According to his father, Mamadou Diallo, a 16-year-old victim was shot in the Sonfonia neighborhood. He was taken to the hospital, where he reportedly succumbed to his wounds later.
Both deaths were confirmed by Cellou Kansala Diallo, vice-mayor of the Ratoma neighborhood of Conakry.
Since former president Alpha Conde was overthrown in a coup in 2021, a military junta has been in charge of the West African nation.
It declared a three-year ban on all protests that might “hinder activities” in May of last year.
Nevertheless, a number of protests have been called by the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), a coalition of opposition parties and civil society organizations.
Around 30 people were injured, some from gunshot wounds, according to the FNDC, which also reported “many arrests.”
In support of social media accounts and the FNDC, which claimed that the authorities had turned to army units for reinforcement, several journalists and eyewitnesses claimed that soldiers were present among the security forces.
Using the army was “a concerning situation,” according to Alseny Sall, spokesman for the Guinean Organization for the Defence of Human Rights. “We don’t understand what can justify such a decision,” he added.
The memory card from his camera was taken, according to an AFP journalist, who also claimed that soldiers harassed and insulted him.
The authorities have made no remarks about what happened.
The junta, headed by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, has dissolved the FNDC and promised to reinstate civilian rule following the implementation of political reforms.
In response to pressure from the regional ECOWAS bloc, which has also had to deal with coups in Mali and Burkina Faso since 2020, the transition period was set at two years beginning in January of this year.
Guinea’s opposition, which says that the junta is stifling dissent, has refused to talk with the government about the terms of the transition period.
